Ash, Blood, & Rain (IT)
by thegrimreapergirl
Summary: Bill Denbrough made the biggest and worst decision in his short life, forced to be left behind so that his friends can live happy lives while his own was in the claws of the same monster that took his little brother's life and many other innocent lives IT. But this story is about to take a whole different journey.


Chapter I

Bill pondered to himself over and over again how he managed to get back home safe, lying down in his bed listening to the night play its music into the vast dark night sky. Mere hours ago he was in the clutches of IT deep down in the depths of Derry's sewers where IT called home, watching each member of the Losers club leave one by one, watching each of his dear friends leave him behind in the hands of a monster.

The Losers decided to take on IT's deal, to live happy lives until old age took them back to the weeds and to leave Bill behind. One by one each with tears in their eyes and some with tears starting to run down their cheeks said good bye to Bill as best as they could and slowly made their way out of IT's lair, the last to leave was Beverly holding back the most tears she said in a tearful choke her goodbye.

Right as she started to walk away Beverly stopped dead in her tracks to look over her shoulder one last time at Bill still in the grasps of IT, frozen with tears starting to slip down her rosy cheeks unable to move or look away from her dear friend. Ben and Richie had to come back to get her and escort her out of the sewers, each taking hold of her hands and start walking her out all the while Bill holding back his own tears watched in complete silence as each one of his friends left and disappeared out of sight. All was silent as the rest of the Losers club left, the only sounds now were the light dripping of water in the distant and the combined breathing from both Bill and IT.

"It's just you and me now Billy Boy" IT said with a sinister grin plastered on his face. Suddenly holding tight with claws digging deep into Bill's flesh and back IT Chucked Bill over his left shoulder stood up to his full height and started striding toward the sinister crimson circus wagon in the center of a vast mountain of toys and clothes piled high. All the lost items from all the missing children taken over the past hundreds of years. What made the scene even more gruesome was floating atop near the vast pile of lost items were the bodies of the missing children. Holding tight to Bill IT kicked the stage door of the wagon open with a hard kick, before Bill could blink pure darkness took hold of his vision and everything else around him. Before thinking of plan to escape a pure yellowish orange light penetrated out of the darkness and into Bill's sight. He couldn't comprehend what was going until it was far too late.

'I-I have to look away, I can't look into the lights' Bill thought as he tried with all his might to look away, but a unknown force an invisible hand of sorts kept his gaze straight on the Dead lights coming deep from within IT's mouth. He started to feel and think of nothing as he gazed into the deadly yet abnormally beautiful lights. He soon started to feel he was floating into the vast unknown, what was awaiting him he didn't know, he couldn't do anything other than slowly slip in the deadly embrace of the dead lights.

Before he's conciseness fell into complete darkness IT suddenly dropped him, hitting the hard ground Bill regained his sight and mind 'I-I think I got a c-concussion or something' Bill thought as he moved onto his left side with a full view of IT and the now wide-open stage door. Looking up he saw IT agitated and looking like he was about to rip anything apart before Bill could blink IT released a monstrous growl before charging to battle an unknown opponent who dare to enter IT's home. Bill couldn't see any of the battle going on before him from where he laid on the wooden floor of the wagon, soon he saw blood spattering everywhere, growls and howls echoing off the sewer walls as the two fighters continued to try and kill one another.

Bill caught a glimpse of his savior as it was thrown across the room letting out a yelp of pain as it smashed into the wall, but quickly it got up and charged right back toward IT again. Bill started to lose conciseness again sometime during the bloodshed right in front of him, before his sight completely went black he saw IT covered in open wounds on the left side of his face, flesh and cloth hanging off one of its arms and legs, bite marks, and scars scratched across multiple areas all over his body, a thin line of blood was coming out a corner of IT's mouth, mumbling something under IT's breath Bill couldn't pick up IT quickly dashed out of sight escaping deeper into the sewers.

Bill rolled himself on his back feeling a pool of warm blood slowly forming around him, slowly he started to closed his eyes, before suddenly seeing a silhouette in his weak burly vision hovering over him. His hero looked down at him with concern in its eyes from what Bill could remember at a certain point his memory now were bits and pieces, he remembers being dragged out of the sewer on top of a warm fluffy body slowly making their way toward an exit.

It knew where to go because before long Bill spotted rays of light coming into his weakened vision. His last bit of memory was laying down near the river slightly close to Derry's sewer entrance located in the Barrens. He looked up at the bright beautiful blue sky, thinking to himself he was actually alive and out of IT's lair, soon he heard what sounded like people coming closer to him and a dog barking. His couldn't keep his eyes open anymore, he slowly started to close them as the voices became loader and closer. 'It's such a beautiful day to die', Bill happily thought as he drifted slowly into unconsciousness.

Chapter II

Bill's memory was a vast blur as he struggled to open his eyes even the slightest, soon a bright light shinned down upon him as he saw what could only be nurses and doctors hovered over him. He heard only muffled voices all around him, he tried to comprehend what was going on around him before falling unconscious again and slipping again into deep slumber. When he woke up again it was different this time, he opened his eyes to find himself in his bedroom with his mother and father smiling happily with tears in their eyes. His mother grabbed him into a tight bear hug slowly rocking him back and forth with Bill in her arms while saying a prayer underneath her breath, his father joined the bear hug, the three stayed like that for mere minutes but to his parents it felt like a life time. His mother laid him back down on his bed adding an extra pillow so that he was sitting upright in bed, his father left the room and came back with a bowl of hot chicken noddle soup in hand for his son.

While Bill ate his parents told him how a couple of hikers found him near the Barrens looming near deaths open door any minute from the amount of blood loss around his beaten body. He was taken to Derry's hospital where he was treated for a major concussion which caused high blood loss and required him to get two urgent blood transfusions from IT dropping him, a few bruises plus the claw marks on his arms and back, miraculously no broken bones.

Bill couldn't remember anything other than bits and pieces here and there, the one question that remained unanswered to him was who or what saved him from IT? As he continued eating his chicken noddle soup he noticed a large ball of fur on the end of his bed, realizing the sudden weight resting on his feet.

"M-mom what's that on the end of m-my bed?" Bill asked very puzzled, his mom looked over her shoulder and smiled before turning back to Bill "When those hikers found you they noticed this dog was near you, protecting you from what they told the police and us" his mother said. "We were thinking of taking him to the local animal shelter thinking a family lost him, but he didn't have a collar on him. So we're decided to keep him. We've been wanting to get a dog for some time now, think now's the perfect time" said his father near edge of the bed gently petting the sleeping ball of white fluff.

Bill always wanted a dog he already had a hamster but there's only so much you can do with little pets, he and Georgie begged for a dog but the same they got was always no or no money for a dog. Georgie most of all wanted a dog the most, he always saw other kids playing in the front yard with their dogs and begged almost every day along with his brother for a dog. What the brothers didn't know was the family was planning to get a dog, but little Georgie was long gone, never getting to see the day his family finally got a pet, on the same day the Denbrough family almost lost their first son to the same monster that killed and taken young little Georgie into the sewers.

Under doctor's orders and to not give his parents double heart attacks Bill wasn't allowed to leave his bedroom let alone the house until he was well enough. His concussion was slowly easing away while the bruises he sustained from ITs claws and hitting the hard sewer ground were a dark blue now, but he was feeling perfectly fine from his point of view. He thought he might have felt off seeing as though he looked straight into the dead lights much as Beverly had, but he felt his normal self, and everything seemed to be back to normal in his everyday life and Derry itself.

All was normal except sprawled over Bill's lap chewing on a rubber red ball was a large pure white dog with the most unusual eye color Bill had ever seen, his parents think the dog is a mix of different breeds, Bill thinks it looks very similar to that of a Dire wolf he learned about in Biology class.

Despite the unknown breed of the dog, his parents decided to keep the white dog (or wolf) and make him into a service dog for Bill. He didn't like the idea at first but after all the events that occurred only in the past few months maybe having a companion by his side wasn't such a bad idea. Bill spent most of his spare time reading the various books his parents bought for him from one of the local bookstores in town, his parents bought him Dracula, Paradise Lost, H.P. Lovecraft, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, and various other books. Bill was very interested into the wired/unknown he started with Dracula, then into Alice in Wonderland and slowly made his way through the pile of new books.

It was a cloudy day with only a light rain when Bill was nose deep into his books, sometime during midday he fell asleep while reading Through the Looking Glass, when awoke the stars were dancing high in the night sky with the moon watching over Derry overhead.

Through the Looking Glass lying flat down on his lab where he last left it, he looked around to see his room shadowed in dark mutated colors, with the window slightly open and the curtains pulled back enough to allow the light of the moon to enter the bedroom. There the pure white dog laid underneath the window as if he was moon bathing in the light of the moon, Bill pulling all the strength he could muster got out of bed and sat down next to the dog, slowly stroking it's back while still trying to think of why this dog would come to his rescue.

He stopped petting the dog when the dog lifted its head and turned to face Bill, Bill couldn't hold the gasp that left his mouth, his breath caught in his throat as he looked into the strange eyes of the white dog. He first thought the dog had crimson eyes the color of blood, he was half right the left eye was crimson blood red, the right eye was a beautiful shade of light blue.

The unnatural eye colors gave the dog an almost eerie aura, but one that didn't feel dangerous almost in a sense a warrior's or protector's presence, someone who would protect you no matter what danger stood in the upcoming way.

Bill and the dog continued to look at one another for what felt like an eternity but only lasted for mere seconds before Bill started to chuckle.

"You're an o-odd one, then again I'm odd t-too" Bill said to the dog who stared before turning fully around and heading budding Bill. The two continued to play until Bill started to feel tired again, he and the dog with no name he noticed up until now made their back to Bill's where he settled first before the dog jumped up and made his spot right next to Bill. He reached over the dog to put his book down and turn off the night stand light before making himself comfortable next to the fluffy warm body sleeping next to him. The dog put its head on Bill's chest, smiling he put an arm around the dog and the steadily drifted into slumber as the music of the night continued on.

Blissfully Unaware of the devilish orange yellow eyes staring directly at the two sleeping forms caught in the light of the moon, watching from high in a tree directly on the other side of the street with a perfect view of the window and beyond. 'As long as that creature is by his side, I can't get to him. Yet' Thought the shadowy figure before a grin slowly formed. Sharp teeth slowly appearing in a monstrous form of a smile. IT continued to stare at the sleeping boy and dog all through-out the night, only when the first morning rays of sun light started to creep up through the horizon did IT finally take his leave. Leaving behind a lone red balloon high in the tree where IT once was.

Chapter III

It was early morning when Bill woke up from his deep slumber with the dog curled up at his side sound asleep, he looked over at his alarm clock to see that it was already 7 in the morning. 'maybe I can stay in bed for a bit longer' Bill thought to himself as he moved himself up to a sitting position, flicking on the night stand light the room awoke to a greyish light flooding the whole room. The sudden burst of illumination caused the dog to stir awake, it looked up to stare up at Bill before licking the side of his face. Bill wasn't used to having dogs licking him, but he was already enjoying the unconfinable love the dog was showing him.

Bill deciding he was wide awake he might as well read he thought, while reading the dog got down and played with the toys his parents got for him down on the floor. He read the rest of Through the Looking Glass for about an hour before the dog came up to his bedside with his ears down, Bill immediately knew the dog needed to go outside to use the bathroom. Summoning all the strength he had he got out of bed and he and the dog started to make their way downstairs, through the living room to the kitchen where a back door led to the back yard.

When Bill opened the back door with little strength, he had left a gust of cool breeze breath past him, sitting on the steps he watched as the dog ran into the wide-open yard looking for the perfect place to take a squat. Thinking how wonderful the breeze felt Bill started to let his mind wonder off a bit, the sun was barely out with the sky mostly covered by grey clouds covering most of the morning sky. He came back to reality when the dog came running toward him with his duty finished, the two made their inside where Bill saw his mother in the kitchen getting ready to cook breakfast.

She looked up and gave him a motherly smile as Bill and the dog entered the kitchen, giving him a warm good morning she right as she started making breakfast, she told him his father would be down in a few minutes and to have seat at the table. Few minutes later his father came down holding the morning newspaper in hand, walking past Bill he ruffled his hair as he took his set at the table. It's been a few days now since Bill was saved by the dog from IT, he hadn't seen the rest of the Losers club since they left him to IT.

He wondered if he should go and say hi to them, would they still be friends?, would they question how he even survived?. These question stirred in his head as the smell of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage filled the kitchen with it's sweet smell.

"How's Snow doing Bill?" his mother asked as she continued to cook, "We're calling the dog Snow?" his father chimed in from behind the newspaper, "I think it's a cute name considering his all white" his mother said. "I like Buddy, simple name for a dog, like the name Buddy" his father said as he petted the dog who was in-between Bill and him. The family continued in typical family conversation from picking the name of the dog, to neighborhood and town gossip, to discussing the upcoming school year. Among the many topics was the subject of a upcoming festival happening in town in a few weeks, "Been awhile since the town held this festival, thought I never see it again" his father said his mother agreed as she started pulling plates out for the food.

"Maybe when Bill's feeling well enough by that time, we can go, maybe bring Snow with us don't want to leave him all alone at home while the three of us are having a blast" said his mother as she stared putting pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage onto three plates.

His mother asked Bill to grab butter and syrup from the fridge for the pancakes, Bill got up and grabbed the two items from the fridge while his mother put his plate and his father's plate down at the kitchen table. Bill sat back at the table just as his mother put her plate down, before she sat down she put a bowl full of sausage down for Snow right next to Bill, saying the whole family should eat together.

"What's t-this festival that's g-going to happen?" Bill asked as his mother took her place at the table, "It's a celebration for a red solar eclipse, happens every so often. Was about your age when the last event was held" his father said who started to chow down into his breakfast. "Like I said maybe we can go. Oh! That reminds me school's starting soon we need to do some shopping for clothes and school supplies for Bill, and pet items for Snow today, maybe we can get Snow used to walking on a leash" said his mother.

"A r-red solar eclipse?, n-never knew an event like that occurred" Bill said still very puzzled at the thought of a strange astrological event happening in the upcoming weeks to come, "It's very strange indeed, don't get to see these kind of events happen often" his father said almost half way done with his stack of pancakes. 'Eclipse?' Bill thought to himself as he looked down at snow who finished his own bowl of sausage and was now playing with one of the numerous toys scattered about the house, 'It's an unusual name, then again he's an unusual dog' Bill thought since even though he was a family dog he was more Bill's dog and soon future service dog for him.

Finally, he spoke up with the name he wanted for the dog, "Mom, Dad can we call him Eclipse" Bill said as he looked at the puzzled looks painted on both his parents faces. "Eclipse?, unusual name, then again he's quite different looking from any dog I've seen. Like it son" his father said as he smiled down at Eclipse who was still playing with his toy, "I love the name, better get his name tag while we're out. which reminds me we're leave around 10 and head into town, gives you some time to clean up and rest up for a bit Billy" his mother said as she continued to eat her breakfast.

The rest of breakfast was uneventful, the family continued to chat as all three helped clean the table and kitchen after eating. His parents told him they can handle the rest telling him to start getting ready, he and Eclipse made their upstairs to his bedroom. As Bill walked into his bedroom he caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a red object in the far background of his window, he paused feeling his heart about to burst out of his chest as he looked again to see nothing red in the view of the window.

Calming himself for a few minutes before he gathered a red checkered shirt and blue jeans shorts before heading into the bathroom to take a shower. Eclipse walked over to the window stood on his hind legs so that his front paws were toughing the outside of the window for a better view of the neighborhood, like Bill he saw nothing out of the ordinary. All was normal except for the orange yellow eyes staring directly straight up at him, not the eyes of a killer clown from a different universe but the eyes of an attractive man concealed almost entirely hidden in the shadows on the opposite side of the street. Eclipse knowing who IT was only stared back before pulling back inside and out of view from IT.

Chapter IV

Bill, Eclipse, and his parents were getting ready to head into town, the same thoughts and feelings plaguing Bill since this morning rose up again. 'What are they going to think and say to me when I show up alive and well after being left with IT' Bill thought to himself, the answer was soon to come as his father started to pull the car out of the drive way and start driving straight toward town. The town of Derry was small; but that wasn't to say it didn't have shops or activates to do, there were a couple of stores, a tiny shopping mall, arcades, movie theatre, parks, and every other thing every little town had.

Bill sitting in the back seats with Eclipse who was sticking his head out the window feeling the breeze blow through his white fur back as the car drove, the family didn't own a leash or anything for Eclipse his mom had to go ask one of their neighbors a nice older lady few houses down for a leash. She was kind enough to lend a spare black halter, perfect size in fact for Eclipse, the older lady had a service dog of her own and was very kind to tell them where to get Eclipse certified as a service dog.

"Where are we going too first honey?" Bill's dad said as Derry became in full view of the front window, "The mall first, that's where most of the clothes shops are, plus the pet store want to get a few more items for Eclipse. Then the local super market, they have a school supple sale going on." His mother said as she and his father were now locating a spot to park the car. The town was small enough to were everything was a walking distance, it wasn't hot today since clouds were covering majority of the sky and a slight breeze started to pick up, but no indication a storm was to hit.

His father found a spot right in front of a local restaurant, his mother commented they might eat there if they were feeling hungry after all the shopping that had to get done today. Bill got out holding the leash to Eclipse's halter tight in hand; few people walking by stopped for a brief moment to look at Eclipse and then at Bill, the story of Bill found in the Barrens all covered in blood and on the verge of death only hit the town newspaper and gossip a mere day later after the incident.

Bill didn't care his family was used to the stares after Georgie's death few months prior. He felt a hand on his shoulder as his father stared guiding him and his mother toward the local mall, he felt many people stare at him or Eclipse as they walked toward the mall, walking by Bill caught a glimpse of the local arcade. 'I wonder if they're all in there?' Bill thought as he continued walking.

Never aware of the handsome man with the striking orange yellow eyes sitting outside a café watching him and Eclipse with the upmost desire, and a all too stunned Eddie with his mouth wide open with shock standing right in front of the pharmacy he recently came out of while holding tight to a bag containing one of the various medications he was taking.

Without a moment hesitation he started spiriting toward the arcade in a heap where the rest of the Losers club were currently at, adrenaline pumped through his body like a runner running a marathon to win gold.

Seeing Bill who he thought he left for dead with IT was very much alive walking by as if nothing happened days prior. Eddie coming close to arcade was just about to open the door, but not being able to stop himself ran face first into the arcade door as the rest of gang watched in shock to their friend falling to the floor and with a hysterical Richie with tears in the corner of his eyes fall knees first to the floor dying of laughter.

"Look at the dumbass, ha ha ha ha I can't take it, it's too much" said Richie on the floor dying of laughter as Beverly, Stanley, and Mike went out to go check on poor Eddie still on the dirty floor. "You ok Eddie?" Beverly said with a concerned look on her face while Stanley and Mike helped Eddie to his feet, wobbling a little and using Mike as a beam support the three plus injured Eddie moved inside.

Taking Eddie to a long wooden bench, Eddie with blood running down from his nose all the way down and his face, neck, and shirt took a couple of minutes to regain himself while his concerned friends and onlookers watched. "Feeling better now dumbass?" Richie said as he made his over to check on his bleeding friend who was holding his nose closed and tilting his head back to stop the bleeding, "Fuck you, anyway you guys won't believe who I saw walking by just now!. It was Bill, he's alive Bill's alive" Eddie said standing up abruptly letting go over his nose and sending blood everywhere on him, bench, and the floor. Stan with a very surprised look on his matching that of his fellow friends gave Eddie a napkin before slowly making his way to seat down from the news Eddie just delivered.

"T-that can't be possible, we left him behind with IT, how did he make it out alive?, How?" said Beverly with tears starting to form in the corner of her eyes, she wasn't alone in the shocking news, all of them felt the air get sucked right out of them. Their friend, the leader of the Losers club was alive. "You telling you that he somehow fucking beat the clown, walked out of the sewer probably smelling like a corpse and is casually walking about?, what the fuck are we waiting let's go find him" said Richie who was heading straight toward the arcade door, the rest looking at him for a moment before gathering their stuff and heading for the exit too. "Do you know where his at" said Stan, "No I didn't see, as soon as I saw him walk by, I immediately headed here" said Eddie still bleeding but not as bad as a few minutes ago.

"Let's split up, let's all meet back here at 2 and if one of us finds him bring him here" said Mike who was already heading in a direction. The rest soon split searching everywhere in town for Bill. Beverly ran searching from left to right looking for Bill, since leaving him to IT the same thoughts and emotions kept arising, 'what if Bill was here with us?', 'what if we never took IT's offer?', why didn't kill It when we had the chance?' Beverly thought to herself over and over with these same questions. It was like an uncurable disease that had no known cure, forced to live with it until it took you by surprise at any unsuspecting moment. With tears forming again she rubbed them away, she wouldn't let guilt and sadness get the better of her, she would find Bill alive and all would be well. Until she had to say goodbye to her friends and leave Derry in the upcoming month

Chapter V

As the losers searched left, right, up, and down for Bill was in the cool air of the tiny mall looking at sketch books in the mall bookstore. He and his parents got done shopping for clothes and pet supplies 15 minutes ago, since the whole family had a passion for reading Bill and his mother headed for the bookstore while his father took the extra shopping bags and left for the car saying he'll be back in a few minutes. His mother told Bill she'll be in the romantic novel section while Bill was browsing in the mystery section. Eclipse was doing very well for a soon to be service dog; many of the stores the family went into allowed Eclipse in since the news broke out of Bill being found half dead in the Barrens the entire town gave the family a little leeway most others couldn't get away with.

His parents told him he could get anything he wanted, Bill first loved the idea but declined saying he'll buy his own purchases, he saved his allowance over the years from doing various chores around the house and only used it if he really wanted something.

After about 10 minutes later Bill had two mystery novels, one comic book, and a blank black sketch book, he found his mother with her own pile and the two started to make their way to check out. They found Bill's father with a fiction book in hand, as they waited to check out they heard a commotion going out in front of the bookstore. Soon a load crash was heard as Richie collided with a display of books knocking almost everything to the ground, "Bill honey isn't that Richie over there, what in heavens is he doing?" his mother said looking concerned for Richie, Eclipse looking over his shoulder with his ears perked high in the air but didn't bark, nudging Bill's leg Bill looked down to see Eclipse focused straight at Richie with a wagging tail.

"D-dad can you hold m-m-my books please" Bill said, "Course son why don't you check on your friend over there and we'll pay for your stuff, save your money for something else" his father said as he gave his son a wink before he and his mom headed toward the next open checkout. Bill with Eclipse as his side moved toward Richie who was helping pick up the books he crashed into moments ago; "Richie are you okay?" Bill asked as he came closer to Richie, "Fuck Eddie was right your alive, your actually alive you son of bitch!" Richie said very energized with tears starting to form in the corner of his eyes he grabbed Bill into a tight embrace.

The tears wouldn't stop as he tightened his grip around Bill, one of closest friends, the same friend he thought he left in a lunatic place with a fucking clown to do who knows what to Bill was here and alive. "R-Richie calm down, it's okay. C-can you let go of Richie its getting hard to b-breath" said a breathless Bill who was using all his strength rip Richie off of him, "Sorry it's just what the fuck I didn't believe Eddie at first, but here you are alive. How the fuck did you escape?. What the hell you have a dog now?. When the Fuck did you get a dog?" Richie continued on with question after question giving Bill no time to respond.

"Hello Richie, you okay dear that was a pretty nasty crash you had" Bill's mom said with concern, Bill's father was walking toward with two bags full of all the family's new book purchases. "Doing swell, say do you mind if I take Bill for a while. Catch up and all me and everyone been wanting to see Bill" said Richie with a puppy look in his eyes toward his parents. "Don't see why not, we're done with are shopping. Make sure to come at 8 Bill and make sure to keep Eclipse with you at all times. Okay sweetheart" Bill's mom said as she gave her son a hug and kiss while his father gave him a quick hug before the two left the bookstore and headed straight home.

"Still can't believe you got a dog Bill. No time for answers, onward my good pal to the arcade" said Richie as he looped an arm around Bill and forced the two to start running toward the local arcade.

It was nearing 1:30 when Richie found Bill and now started making their way to the arcade to wait for everyone else. Near the arcade the same handsome sat watching as Richie brought Bill and Eclipse into the arcade. 'Looks like their little gang is coming together again. How I wish I already took you little buddy. Soon very soon I'll have you in my arms again Billy Boy' Pennywise thought to himself. Soon he stood up from his seat at the café and started walking away, back to his home deep in the belly of Derry's dark sewers.


End file.
